Does anyone remember the old ad that assured us, “Blondes have more fun”? I don’t know that having blond hair leads to more merriment in life, but there’s something about it, even in retirement, that helps people remember you. That makes me glad I decided years ago to become a blonde. And I can imagine just the opposite taking place if I’d let my hair turn into whatever color it wished.
Last week I had coffee with an acquaintance who’d let her dark hair grow out white. She told me, “I became invisible as soon as my hair color changed.”
She’s not the only one who talks about this. I often hear women complain that as they get older, they go undetected by store clerks, waiters, and others who deal with the public. While this provides a clear advantage to aging shoplifters, the rest of us would like to get waited on, which is one reason not to succumb to nature.
A recent message in my blog’s spam-catcher triggered memories about the year that I changed my hair color from brown to blond.It said, “Bonjour I’m Sarah I’m such a blonde but I still really appreciated your writing.”
I was working at Bellevue School District when I decided to lighten up. At the time, I was pleased with my new color, except that it gave my work colleagues an opportunity to start telling dumb blonde jokes and attributing any mistakes I made to the change in my hair.Their logic was a lot like Sarah’s.
I will admit that becoming a blonde can have its disadvantages. Take the recent situation a blue-eyed, blond-haired friend experienced while exercising at the Bellevue Club.
A woman came up to her and told her she enjoyed her column in the Bellevue Reporter. Apparently all blondes look alike. My friend was polite when telling me the story, though I can imagine she wasn’t thrilled at the comparison, knowing that I’m ten years older and thirty pounds heavier.
Whatever the consequences, I’m not planning to change my hair color soon. It may help me get waited on at Macy’s in later years, though I’m pretty sure I won’t ever have worry about being “such a blonde” or having too much fun.
